Time Has It's Way With Us
by TheFinalFyler
Summary: A bit of a retelling of Selena and Caeldori's bonding moment at the end of her Paralogue. Deciding to take a small break on the requests for Dragon's Fort, I've had this idea mulling over my head for some time now, and decided to use it to clear my mind for better ideas so I don't feel over worked with requests. More might come, but the story is Complete for now.


"Selena! Left flank! Nohrian troops are en route according to Shigure! Advance with Caeldori, Sakura, and Silas." Corrin barked over the sound of magic and steel clashing and flashing about.

"Understood, Lord Corrin!" the hero laughed, hurrying out with the great knight, sky knight and priestess towards the engaging forces. Was Corrin overestimating the powers of his forces? Was he underestimating the powers of the hostile Nohrian forces? Possibly. But he knew one thing, and followed it true to his soul, and every fiber of his being: If his troops truly believed in his skills, then they wouldn't falter in their defenses.

"Right flank! Selkie, Forrest, Beruka, Shiro! Mounted units are approaching, you know what to do!" the dragon prince yelled against the battle.

"Yes! I get to play again! It feels like it's been foreeeeeever!" the nine-tails happily cheered, gripping her beaststone and transforming in the bath of light.

"Don't get too careless out, there...Selkie..." Beruka warned her, axe in one hand, reigns of her wyvern in the other. "You might be faster, but they might be stronger. There's a reason we got selected..."

"I know! I know!" The kitsune's distorted voice shouted as she hurried along the torn up road. "We're beast slayers! Fight to out strengths and make them cower!"

"...is it wrong I find that kind of cute?" Shiro chuckled, readying the beast killer.

Forrest looked between him, and the charging beast girl and wyvern lord. He readied the reigns of his horse in his hand, staves kept in a spare quiver on the saddle and tome of spells at the ready. "Are...you sure?" The tactician asked, starting off with the Hoshidan heir.

"Oh c'mon! What's not to love about her!" Shiro laughed, hurrying off with the fashionista.

"The fact she collects hair balls and dirt..it's filthy!" Forrest huffed with disgust. "Enough for now, Father would be angry if I got hurt talking about your girlfriend issues in combat. Just aim for the big guys, you have the strength out of all of us. Beruka can handle anything you can't finish off, and Selkie and I will handle the ranged combatants."

"As per usual! We know the plan!" Beruka yelled out from the skies, skillfully flinging a tomahawk through the air, slicing through the books of a dark knight. She yanked the bloodied steel out of the terrified, and possibly screaming male, catching her massive axe on a steel chain. "Now stop this trifle crap and fight! Or must I tell Lord Leo and Lord Ryoma about your daydreaming in the middle of combat?!"

"N-no ma'am!" The two males called out, a shiver running up their spines. They looked at each other and simply nodded, returning to the fray of combat, Forrest keeping his eyes peeled for any sights of spells or bows as Shiro hurried to Selkie in the front lines.

"Brother Xander! Brother Ryoma! You two and myself will start our way through the middle route! As much as I hate to use these words...we cull the herd as needed until they learn..." The dragon prince said, drawing Yato. The paladin and swordmaster walked up next to him, Siegfried and Raijinto both drawn and ready.

"Cull the herds?" Xander couldn't help but chuckle. "Spending time with Niles again?"

"What better way to learn the fields, and equipment? Him and Nina make excellent spies...as do Kaze, Saizo and Kagero. I need to thank them all after this fight." The dragon prince replied, looking down to flick his eyes around his person. His dragonstone hung in a tight knotted cord around his neck, and a healing staff was kept opposite his sheath. His talent with them was minute, but he felt knowing how to use them would be better than tome magic.

With a nod, Ryoma looked at the two princes. "Well, I doubt we'll get anything done by sitting here. Men, we move out, and fight through their ranks until we spot the leader of his swarm." The swordmaster simply stated, taking a few steps forward. "This is no longer for Hoshido or Nohr..."

"Brothers...we move out...charge!" Corrin ordered, taking the leading charge down the most direct route, the sounds of heavy armor rattling and thundering hooves following behind him.

* * *

"Sakura! How are you holding up?" Silas called out, parrying a quick swing, and taking the time to quickly avert his eyes to the priestess.

She notched another arrow against the string, taking quick aim and letting the arrow soar through the air, meeting it's mark through the slitted helm of the fighter engaging Silas. "Seems like...I'm covering your flank, while you're supposed to keep them off me!" the princess panted a bit. She wasn't used to being this close to the front lines so suddenly, but finding a niche with the bow, she wanted to prove her worth.

"...very true, Princess! I'm sorry." Silas laughed, turning back to the combat. "Where is that girl..."

A loud war cry answered his question, hearing the sound of steel shredding against metal plate. "Here I am, Silas!" Selena replied through a growl. She spun around in her spot, axe in her hand. "C'mon! I thought you all were tougher than this!" She taunted the nearby fighters. With a devilish grin, she readied her axe, spying one of the poor fools rushing her.

"Keep your eyes up!" Caeldori quickly rushed the poor mercenary that attacked her mother. A swooping rush from his flank, Caeldori tightened her stance, feeling the reverb of the lance connect to the poor soldier. She flew by, hearing his yell as it fell silent from her mother's finishing strike.

With another haughty laughter, Selena swung her axe to clean the blade of the blood. "Thanks Caeldori!" she called out, her eyes darting the field. "Like how mother and I would fight..." She muttered. "...like...mother..." the hero looked around the field still, her breathing slowing down slightly, starting to feel the sluggish weight of tiredness hit her.

Silas rode up to his comrade, looking down at her with his shield raised. "Selena! Snap out of it! This isn't like you...you're sweating..."

The red head shook her head. "R..right! I...just tired. You know how axes wear you out more..." she quickly thought of an excuse.

"Mhmm...stay focused, we cannot afford to give up this route. Lord Corrin has pushed towards their leader, Shigure and Lords Xander and Ryoma are assisting him. Beruka, Forrest, Shiro, and Selkie are along the right flank. We might have some catching up to do." the great knight informed Selena, calling Sakura forward with a flick of his blade.

"We're advancing? But..there's still so many left!" The pink haired princess voiced her opinion. "Can we handle them all?"

"We've fought much worse than this, Lady Sakura. And you have witnessed it. This is nothing for us." Silas chuckled. "Stay behind us and provide us support, and we'll all make it out of here alive."

"You better be ri-" Selena trailed off. "...a..archers...s-shit!" She cursed through gritted teeth. She hung her axe over a knotted rope on her sash, grabbing his blade and rushing towards the firing squad of arrows. "Caeldori!" She yelled out.

"S-Selena?!" Silas blurted out, catching glimpse of the squad. "...w-we won't make it...I can't even reach them on a charge, they have high ground. Selena! Caeldori knows what she's doing!" The great knight growled, looking back at Sakura. "Milady, please do your best to keep behind me, fire upon their archer ranks. Don't aim, just fire. We need to buy Caeldori some time." The male said, sheathing his blade and grabbing his holstered lance. Gripping the pole arm between his body and arm, hand firmly gripping the upper shaft, the male made his charge.

"S-Silas!" Sakura called out, growling in anger that she was left behind. "This is no way to treat a princess!" She yelled again, hearing the whiney of Shigure's pegasus.

"Never fear, dear Sakura. For I am here." he calmly laughed. "Come, let us go. I'll provide you support." Spying her nod, the two made their way up the right flank to support the mother and daughter.

Selena kept her eyes up to the sky, seeing the archers firing a few warning arrows into the air. "They...they want to box her in...no...no!" the red headed hero said, a powerful fear in her voice. "Caeldori! Get out of there now!"

"I...I'm trying mother!" her daughter responded, quickly hooking her lance to her saddle to grip the reigns with both hands. "I can get out of this...I'm the daughter of a powerful Nohrian soldier and a Hoshidan knight! I can do this!" She kept her gaze locked on the firing squad, trying to study any patterns she seen, hoping to find a few seconds of calm to drop her altitude to safety and retreat.

Hearing the panicked whinnies, the Dragon Fort's soldiers averted their attention to the troubled sky knight.

"...this isn't like Caeldori." Shiro growled. "Something's wrong. Did they ambush her?!"

"They had to, Niles and Nina would have reported an archer unit, and we wouldn't have had her, Beruka or Shigure come along." Forrest sighed. "There's nothing we can do, we're too far away."

"B-but..."

"No buts!" Beruka barked, landing next to them. "I won't be able to make it there, and even if I did...it'd just be worse. Selkie could possibly make it, but only if she found a flat patch. She has to do this on her own." The assassin looked at Shiro's pained grimace, eventually sighing. "We stick to the plan." the wyvern lord said, taking flight once more.

"Do you think sending Shigure was a wise idea, Corrin?" Xander asked.

"It's all we could do. You cannot pass over the land so easily, and Brother Ryoma will take more time. As for myself, it'll mean that the forces might concentrate more on Caeldori. For now...Shigure is the only one who could help her, even if he draws their attention.

"I pray you're right, Corrin." Ryoma said. "I think the morale drop would be a harder weapon to fight against..."

The twang of bowstrings grew louder as Selena closed the gap between herself and the firing squad. "Stay away from her...you stay away from her!" She screamed towards the enemy archers. "I'll kill you all if you lay a finger on her!"

One of the archers looked over upon hearing the threat. Making a notion to the others, they all readied an arrow, taking aim towards the Sky Knight. On a loud count of three, the arrows flew, Selena's gaze following the flying weapons towards their mark.

"N..no...no! Look out!" The red haired hero screamed out to her daughter. She spied Caeldori's gaze switch from the arrows to her mother. In that short time, the sky knight lost control. Selena stopped her charge, almost falling to the ground. "...n...n-no...not again..." Her grip tightened around his blade's hilt. Tears welled in her eyes, spying the sight of Caeldori being struck by arrows, her and her might steed starting on a plummet to the ground. "...m...mommy..." The hero trembled. "No...not again...this can't happen again...I won't let it happen again! It can't happen again!" she growled through her sobbing. "Y...you can make it out!"

"Sakura! Shigure! Go to Caeldori, now!" Silas barked the order, halting his rush a few feet away from Selena. "...she'll be okay...I promise." the male tried to console the mother. It very slowly began to work, only to hear Selena's yell of terror upon the sight of Caeldori crashing to the ground in a plume of dust and debris.

Selena stood in disbelief at the sight. "Sh...she will make out alive. I...I know she will. Any moment now, Mom will stand up like nothing happened." Selena told herself, trying to blow the thought aside.

"...mom?" Silas muttered to himself, confused. He kept an eye on the archers, who had bows ready at Caeldori's crash sight. "...Selena, the archers are still here...we need to go after them." he informed her, trying to snap the red head out of her daze. He was met by the confused, incoherent mumbling of the hero. He could only make out the phrases 'I'm sorry mommy.' through her jagged breaths. "This isn't like you Selena! Snap out of it! Standing here like this will not help Caeldori!"

Selena spun around, a pained determination in her face under the stream of tears. "Her name..is Cordelia..." She growled, turning her attention to the archers. Her sword at the ready, the emotion driven hero rushed their position, tuning out the rest of the world in, what only be described as a blood frenzy. "You took her away from me you bastards! She screamed, driving her blade through one of the terrified archers. The rest of the rank looked on in fear of a lone soldier rushing a position like this. Kicking the dying man off her sword, Selena kept her gaze fixated on the rank. "Run and I'll make this worse for you...all of you..." her sobbing slowly stopped, being replaced by a raging hatred.

One of the archers made a scramble to ready his bow, only to be met by the business end of Selena's blade against, and through, his arm. A terrified scream rang about among the rank of archers, Silas arriving a bit too late to save the enemies from the red wrath that stood before them.

* * *

The group of weary warriors slowly arrived back to the Dragon's Fort after the battle was over. Caeldori was rushed out of the battlefield by Sakura and Shigure and taken back for medical attention. Selena sat on Slias' steed, the male guiding the reigns from the ground.

Spying that her retainer wasn't her fiery self, Camilla hurried over to Corrin, Ryoma, and her elder brother. "What happened to Selena?" She asked quietly, making sure the others couldn't hear.

The three men stopped behind the group, letting them go ahead as they looked at each other. "I...don't know, Camilla." Xander spoke up. "Caeldori was attacked, and Silas reported that Selena wouldn't answer to them, or respond at all. She went into a rank of archers and was able to dispatch them by herself. It...was terrifying. I think even Peri would have been scared."

"Do you know anything?" Ryoma asked, then quickly replied. "I think if you did, you wouldn't be as surprised."

The lilac haired woman nodded. "I'm worried for her. She's never been like this." Camilla said with worry, turning her head to follow Silas as he helped Selena to her room, and husband. "I want to ask, but I know she won't tell me. Did Silas tell you anything else?"

"He mentioned that...he heard Selena say the name Cordelia, and mother, a lot." Xander replied.

"Well, let's give her some time to recover, then we can ask her." Corrin replied. "For now, we need to do debrief the advance." The dragon prince said, starting off to the war room with his elder brothers and sister in tow.

"...hhheeeyyy...Selena?" Lazlow cautiously said, knocking at her room's door. "...Seleeeeena?" he called out again.

"Is she in? I know Subaki said that she was. He was giving her space and seeing if Caeldori was fine." Odin replied.

"She has to be..." The male hero said. "..Severa!" The sound of a lock being undone was heard, then the door flew open.

"You know not to call me that here!" The female growled. "...Laslow, Odin." She stressed those named, letting them inside. "What is it?"

"We heard about what happened today." Odin said, locking the door behind them and leaning against it. "...what happened?"

"I...I had a flashback..." The female groaned, sitting on her bed, looking at the ground. "I thought Caeldori was mom..."

"Mhmm. Lady Camilla is worried for you. Beruka as well...hell, everyone is." Lazlow replied, grabbing a chair from the small table and taking a seat, leaning forward to his friend, arms resting on his legs. "...Severa. You need to tell Caeldori about her."

"I know...but every time I try to, I tense up...shocking I know. I haven't seen her in who knows how long and I can't do this." Selena replied. "But, I need to...who knows what will happen next." The female hero trailed off, pulling out a thin necklace chain form under her clothing, a tarnished and time worn wedding ring.

"You still kept it to this day, huh?" Odin chuckled. "I still have my mother's headdress in my room, her wedding ring as well. It's part of the bookmark in my grimoire."

"I keep two of Mom's dancing bangles as part of my belt loops, and her ring is part of the loop as well." Lazlow replied. "We all have their mementos. Rings, weapons, articles of clothing and accessories. All of the kids had them, Severa..."

"I know...Inigo...if you're so intent on using our old names. But, what am I going to do? I can't tell her for some reason." The hero sighed.

"We could tell her. Blurt out the facts, and then Caeldori has to come find you about it." Odin simply stated. "That way you can't back out of it."

"...risky, but it'll work." Selena sighed. "Heh...thanks...Owain, Inigo." She said with a faint smile.

"Any time, Severa. Any time. We gotta look out for each other." Lazlow chuckled, getting up from his seat, pushing the chair back in. "We'll get out of your hair, and go tell Caeldori, okay?" he said, seeing the female nod.

"Very well! Fair thee well, maiden of flames! Odin Dark and his ally Lazlow shall take their leave!" Odin over played it, seeing Selena's smile grow a bit more, letting out an annoyed, but happy chuckle. "Ah! Behold! A smile dawns across her face! A time to be merry!" Odin laughed, unlocking the door and confidently strolling out.

"Sorry for the trouble he brings. Odin is...well..Odin." Laslow chuckled, leaving Selena be, door closing behind him.

* * *

The night came quickly over the fort, Selena taking her walk to Caledori's quarters. The hero began to mull over conversation topics, and what would happen after Laslow and Odin got to her daughter.

"Caeldori?" Selena quietly said, knocking on the door to her daughter's room. "Are you awake?"

"Oh...mother...you can come in." She said, weary. She looked as the door open, slowly sitting up against her bed frame.

"Hello Caeldori." Selena smiled, gently closed the door behind her. She walked over to the bed, sitting down on it gently. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better. I'm still...very sore. Some pain, but...I am fine. No broken bones. My pegasus is fine as well, he'll be back in action in a few days."

"That's good. I was just about to ask about him." The hero smiled. "Do you need anything Food or drink? Bandages?" She asked, seeing the Sky Knight shake her head.

"No thank you, mother. But..." Caeldori started. "Odin and Laslow came to visit. They...told me about something." She continued, looking at her mother. "...uhm...you went crazy on the battlefield today."

Selena looked away slightly, embarrassed about what happened earlier in the day. After calming down slightly she turned back to her daughter.

"...who's Cordelia?"

The red headed hero took a few minutes to gather her thoughts before speaking. "Cordelia...is your grandmother. There's a reason why I always look at you so intently, and why I'm always so...awkward around you." Selena started, seeing the confused look on her daughter's face. "You...look and act, just like her. Down to, pretty much every fiber of your being...you act like my mother. And...it scares me. You both were Sky Knights, you both hair the same red hair, the same figure, the same mannerisms, even the same bust size!" Selena continued, trying to keep her emotions under control.

Caeldori sat up more, seeing the emotional struggle within her mother. "Was...I named after her?"

Selena shook her head slowly. "Not intently. Your fathered wanted a different name. We thought about it, and the idea of Cilae struck us. I pieced the letters together, and, noticed three letters were missing. I thought about the name for weeks, while I was pregnant with you...and your father and I agreed on Caeldori. I never told him why I was so adamant on the name, but...now I know why I was. I had a feeling that you would be like her. That you would hold her name with such honor and pride." Selena cut herself off there, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself.

"Mother..." Caeldori slowly moved herself to sit next to her slowly saddening mother. "This...this is very hard for you...Lazlow and Odin told me it would be."

"That's...well..." the red headed hero spoke up, stifling her voice. "She died while I was very young. Her and I would never see eye to eye. Her perfection cast a shadow I was forced to live in. I was angry at her for doing everything for perfectly and flawlessly. I originally thought I was going to be a Sky Knight myself, but everyone compared me to her, so I learned the sword instead, and pushed her away from me."

Caeldori listened intently, noticing the quivering in Selena's voice, seeing the tears welling in her eyes. "You don't have to continue if you don't want to, Mother...I don't want to see you upset like this."

Her words fell on deaf ears as Selena continued. "I had an argument with her one day. I yelled at her, I screamed at her, I said things I shouldn't have. I stormed away for a while, then came back to her leaving for war. I didn't say anything, she wanted to apologize, but I didn't listen. She left her wedding ring home that day, like she knew something was happening." Selena continued with her story, her voice slowly trying to regain it's calm through the slight sobs. "But...she never came back. She died in the battle...and the last thing I said to her, I still remember clearly. 'I wish you were never my mother. All you did was cause me so much trouble in my life to try and become something I can't...I can't be you, and I won't.' That's what I said...I never got to say I was sorry." Selena finished her story through her quivering voice, finally her emotions getting the best of her as she felt tears roll down her cheeks. She turned to look at Caeldori. "...am...am I a bad mother, Caeldori? Am I a terrible daughter?"

The red haired sky knight didn't know how to truly respond, so she did the best thing she could think of. Embracing her sobbing mother gently in her arms, she held on as she felt her mother's breathing grew more erratic as her sobbing slowly formed into a full fledged and showing fit of crying and anguish. The mother tightly gripped her daughter, sobbing into her shoulder. "...no. You're not a bad mother. Yes, you were strict and harsh, but you meant well. And...I know this must not mean much coming from me...but...Selena." Caeldori said, pulling away slowly, facing her mother and looking dead into her eyes.

"You are not a terrible daughter." The grieving Selena heard. Caeldori's voice slowly sounded like it began to mix with that of Cordelia's. "I would gladly have a daughter that would prove to me that she is someone who is different, someone who does not simply follow a crowd...someone who is brave and bold enough to stand up to someone who the world believes is flawless. Selena...I am proud...to say you are my daughter." The hero's lips quivered, her breathing growing more erratic as she suddenly broken down, tightly hugging Caeldori and sobbing loudly into her shoulder.

* * *

Morning came slowly over the Dragon Fort, the sound of various birds singing their melodies was heard, only to be stopped by the twnag of an arrow.

"...damn birds...I couldn't get any sleep last night..." Niles grumbled, tossing his bow against the wall as he lazily fell back into his bed. "Thank the gods today I can stay in...no work needed by Lord Leo or Corrin. Who the hell was crying so late at night anyway?" he grumbled, feeling the arm of his wife toss around him.

"Just ignore it...it was probably Ophelia..." Beruka groaned out. "I need this sleep more than you...you didn't fight yesterday."

"...if sex counts as fighting, then yes, I did fight." Niles sleepily chuckled, feeling Beruka tug his ear. "O-ow! Okay...I'll shut up...jeez."

"Now go to sleep...we both have time off..." his wife mumbled into his back.

"Well, Selena seems much better today." Camilla stated, seeing the red headed hero walking around with her healing daughter.

"I'm glad too...was odd seeing her in such shambles." Corrin replied. "Maybe next time, I should make a note not to send out parents with their children..."

"Possibly, but if you do, it could be a very good way for them to bond. What better way to know your parents or child by war?" Camilla said with a smile.

Corrin couldn't help but laugh a bit. "And how did Kana end up being such an innocent little dragon with you as her mother?" Camilla let out a girlish giggle, using it as an example that even she knew how not to be blood crazy at times.

"How are you feeling, mother?" Caeldori asked, seeing her mother nod in reply.

"I...feel much better. A...weight lifted off me, per say. Uhm...thank you, Caeldori. I'm sorry...you had to see me like that." she apologized.

"No need. Everyone in their lifetime has moments like that, and they're needed. I'm just...happy that we could have a bonding moment like that." The sky knight said, a faint smile across her face. "Just...promise me one thing?"

"What is it, Caeldori?"

"Promise me, if anything is bothering you...you and I will talk about it. Mother to Daughter. I'll come to you if I need help as well."

With another nod, and a smile, Selena agreed. "Of course. It's a deal. And don't be afraid to ask me anything, okay?"

"Right!...but...uhm...how do I spark a conversation with boys...?" The sky knight asked sheepishly.

Watching on the sight, Laslow and Odin chuckled to each other.

"Well, Severa is back, and seems like she and Caeldori are in better shape than ever...emotionally at least." Odin said.

"Yea...but this got me thinking." Laslow started. "Maybe we should tell our kids..ya know? Soleil and Ophelia have a right to know..."

"...yes you're right. Before something like Severa's case happens. Now might be a good time." Odin added on. "A father-daughter talk. Last I remember, it was mother-son. This could be interesting." The dark knight laughed a bit.

"Tell me about it...Soleil's gonna find it hysterical that I can dance..."


End file.
